More Random Thoughts

AIDS Relief
I read this op-ed piece in the AJC today. Currently, the US policy for world-wide AIDS prevention requires that 33% of all monies go toward abstinence-only education programs. This policy, called the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) was designed to prevent the spread of AIDS in other countries, with most of the focus on Africa. Education about AIDS is one of the most important way to prevent and understand the disease, but if no one can get the information, what good is it? African countries don't necessarily recognize the institution of marriage, especially a Christian marriage. So how can we limit the reach of these programs by imposing our beliefs on them? Just educate the people and don't legislate our definition of morality.

Take, for example the issue recently in Alabama, where the RV Park barred an HIV positive 2-year-old from swimming in a community pool for fear of transmitting the disease to other swimmers. This is the US, with one of the highest literacy levels in the world, and we've still got this type of ignorance. If we stipulate other countries, who are not Christian, follow our belief system before they can get education, isn't that evangalism? Isn't that forcing our ideals on other peoples? Isn't that trying to change cultures?

Oh, By The Way
Again, in today's AJC, there was another op-ed piece on the Genarlow Wilson situation. Seems like the Douglas county police forced the mother of the 15-year-old girl to press charges. She didn't want to, but the police allegedly threatened her with neglect charges for allowing her daughter to attend the unchaperoned New Years Eve party. Now what was the point of this? I can only think of one reason the police wanted to lean so hard on Wilson, he's black and the girl was white. What good comes from this whole episode? Did anyone learn a lesson? This kind of stuff happens all the time, so I'm told, at high school or even younger parties. Could this be another example of the religious right trying to force their ideals on the population? Hhuummm...